Will the iPad mini Be 16:9?

With the iPhone 5 fresh out of the gate, now the question turns to the iPad mini. First off, does it exist? If it does, then will it follow the 16:9 form factor of the iPhone 5, or the same as the original iPad? Enquiring minds want to know, so tell us in the poll to the right!

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I think so because Apple is now supporting widescreen content on the iPhone 5. With a smaller iPad, it’d be easier to change the aspect ratio. But on a full size one, things might be weird.

Leonick

No. I very much doubt that. If it was that would make it a iPhone/iPod Touch Max or something. The whole idea of the iPad Mini would be to have a smaller (and possibly cheaper device) that still ran iPad apps, if it had a 16:9 screen they’d have to do one of the following:
1. Make it run iPhone apps (which you don’t want, it’d be a bad experience and a bit hypo-critic considering Apples opinion of Android tablets running up-scaled phone apps).
2. Change the aspect ratio to 16:9 on the large/normal iPad too and ask all developers to remake all their iPad apps (large 16:9 displays on tablets are annoying too, to tall in portrait mode and not tall enough in landscape), doing this Apple would also lose the bragging rights of how many iPad apps they have.
3. Introduce a fourth (third if you don’t count the new taller iPhone apps) type of app, asking developers to make 2:3 (all developers will want to support that until no 2:3 devices are sold by Apple) and 16:9 iPhone/iPod Touch apps, a more iPad like experience but for 16:9 and iPad apps for 4:3.

Do any of those sounds more reasonable than giving users the existing iPad experience, which sales show users love, on a smaller device? Didn’t think so…

FWIW the longer aspect ratio works well in a small tablet. The Nexus 7 feels good in the hand as it is narrow enough to hold comfortably in one hand. That wouldn’t be the case if it was the shape of the current iPad.